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1
177
The Story of Alchemy and the Beginnings of Chemistry
·
M. M. Pattison Muir
62
Philalethes
says,
in
A
Brief
Guide
to
the
Celestial
Ruby:
"The
Philosopher's
Stone
is
a
certain
heavenly,
spiritual,
penetrative,
and
fixed
substance,
which
brings
all
metals
to
the
perfection
of
gold
or
silver
(according
to
the
quality
of
the
Medicine),
and
that
by
natural
methods,
which
yet
in
their
effects
transcend
Nature....
Know
then
that
it
is
called
a
stone,
not
because
it
is
like
a
stone,
but
only
because,
by
virtue
of
its
fixed
nature,
it
resists
the
action
of
fire
as
successfully
as
any
stone.
In
species
it
is
gold,
more
pure
than
the
purest;
it
is
fixed
and
incombustible
like
a
stone,
but
its
appearance
is
that
of
very
fine
powder,
impalpable
to
the
touch,
sweet
to
the
taste,
fragrant
to
the
smell,
in
potency
a
most
penetrative
spirit,
apparently
dry
and
yet
unctuous,
and
easily
capable
of
tinging
a
plate
of
metal....
If
we
say
that
its
nature
is
spiritual,
it
would
be
no
more
than
the
truth;
if
we
described
it
as
corporeal,
the
expression
would
be
equally
correct."
The
same
author
says:
"There
is
a
substance
of
a
metalline
species
which
looks
so
cloudy
that
the
universe
will
have
nothing
to
do
with
it.
Its
visible
form
is
vile;
it
defiles
metalline
bodies,
and
no
one
can
readily
imagine
that
the
pearly
drink
of
bright
Phoebus
should
spring
from
thence.
Its
components
are
a
most
pure
and
tender
mercury,
a
dry
incarcerate
sulphur,
which
binds
it
and
restrains
fluxation....
Know
this
subject,
it
is
the
sure
basis
of
all
our
secrets....
To
deal
plainly,
it
is
the
child
of
Saturn,
of
mean
price
and
great
venom....
It
is
not
malleable,
though
metalline.
Its
colour
is
sable,
with
intermixed
argent
which
mark
the
sable
fields
with
veins
of
glittering
argent."
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